This invention relates to a system and apparatus for controlling an appliance situated within a premises, such as a home or office.
It has been proposed to use a premises recording unit connected to a telephone network for controlling appliances situated within a premises such as a home or office. Information necessary for controlling appliance operation could be downloaded via the telephone network, through separate cartridges, a disk, or contained in preprogrammed ROM. Additionally, a local bus would provide expansion functions such as the addition of modem and game cartridges as well as a packet transmitter cartridge for transmitting control signals to an appliance for controlling operation of the appliance within the premises.
It would be desirable to control appliances situated within the premises without using a premises recording unit. These appliances would include not only radio controlled appliances, such as off-on switches for door locks, but infrared controlled appliances such as stereos and VCR""s. It would be desirable if a low cost, low power, battery operated link could be established between a premises controller and an appliance for controlling appliance operation without complex premises recording units and packet transmitters connected to microprocessor buses or positioned within recording units as a separate cartridge.
The present invention is advantageous because control of appliances situated within a premises such as a home or office can be achieved by a separate premises controller which receives and stores appliance control information and transmits that information to an appliance controller which controls appliance operation. The premises controller includes a wireless transmitter for generating and transmitting a packet of appliance control information to the appliance controller based on the stored information within the premises controller.
The appliance controller is spaced from the premises controller but within range of the generated packet transmission for interfacing with the premises appliance. The appliance controller further includes a packet receiver for receiving the packet of transmitted information, processing that information, and then controlling operation of the appliance through the packet data.
In one aspect of the present invention, the appliance controller is spaced from the packet transmitter of the premises controller and includes a microprocessor. A radio transmitter delivers a packet of digital information to the appliance controller and microprocessor. An infrared pulse generator is operatively connected to the microprocessor for receiving the pulse code and generating and transmitting an infrared pulse code by means of an LED.
The appliance controller further includes ROM and radio detection circuitry as well as amplifiers. Conversion data to convert a radio data sequence to an infrared pulse sequence is contained within the ROM. This conversion can be tailored to different manufacturers, allowing a unique infrared packet sequence, which results in a similar response for any manufacturer""s appliance. Thus, the appliance controller receives a radio packet control signal, and then generates an infrared pulse sequence for controlling an appliance such as a VCR or stereo, which often are controlled via infrared pulse sequences. The radio transmitter can be spaced outside the premises, as long as the appliance controller is near the appliance.
The wireless transmitter further includes a circuit board and a patch antennae mounted on the circuit board through which the packet transmission is generated. The packet of control information can include an address portion and a payload portion. In different aspects, of the present invention, the wireless transmitter can generate a packet radio signal to the appliance controller, an infrared signal or an ultrasonic signal. The packet receiver is designed to receive the respective type of generated signal.
In still another aspect of the present invention, the appliance controller includes a system for generating a signal back to the premises controller relating to appliance operation. This in effect forms a closed loop control circuit. The premises controller is responsive to this generated signal and can generate and transmit further control information to the appliance controller in response.